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TD Daly was not over the limit and accuses gardai of leaking news of her arrest

TD Clare Daly has blasted gardai after she was cleared of drink-driving

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Clare Daly yesterday insisted she was not over the limit when stopped for suspected drink-driving – and accused gardai of leaking her arrest.

The TD, 44, has complained to the Garda Ombudsman, claiming officers tipped off the press when she was taken to a Dublin Garda station.

She alleges gardai deliberately tried to discredit her because of her role in a campaign to expose corrupt officers behind a penalty points scandal.

The former Socialist Party politician said results from urine tests after she was arrested two weeks ago showed she was 33% under the legal limit.

Deputy Daly, who admitted drinking a hot whiskey before getting behind the wheel, said details of her arrest were deliberately leaked after she was involved in exposing allegations of gardai wrongdoing.

She said: “I believe this was a deliberate attempt to discredit a left-wing TD who has raised issues of malpractice within the Garda Siochana.

“This information could only have come from within the gardai.”

Ms Daly was stopped on January 28 after making an illegal right turn on to Dublin’s South Circular Road on her way home from a meeting where she was given a hot whiskey for a cold.

She added: “I was breathalysed but the equipment didn’t register a reading.

“I was arrested and handcuffed on the side of the road. I objected to being handcuffed and stated I would willingly go to the Garda station.

“I was told by the arresting Garda that this was ‘procedure’.”

Ms Daly said she was then taken to Kilmainham Garda station in a patrol car and at one point put in a cell on her own.

She was later released after submitting to a urine test.

The Dublin North TD said the official result of the sample was 45mgs per 100ml of urine. The legal limit is 67mgs per 100mls.

She added: “I believe the gardai implementing road safety have a job to do and I support them.

“However, I object strongly to the arrest, handcuffing and release of information re the arrest on suspicion of drink-driving to the tabloid press early on Tuesday.